Abstract
Over the years, the countries of the Arab world have struggled with economic backwardness and various socio-political issues. Activation and intensive development of the Arab world began about 50 years ago. After the Second World War, Middle Eastern countries began economic and political integration, which allowed them to achieve a higher level of progress and strengthen their position in the world. Many researchers argue that the development of the Arab countries and their integration with the West caused the development of terrorism. Only a few decades ago, such reality as terrorism did not exist, but in the last decade, this problem has become global. However, Arab nationalism and terrorism have a strong influence on the policies of different countries. The development of the Arab world is controversial, since it is directly related to the Islamic religion, nationalism, and terrorism. Analysis of a practice of formation, development, state of inter-Arab integration process, and reasons that prevent it, is highly necessary and relevant. Study of the Arab world is also important for by reason of terrorist activities. This study could be helpful in identifying some of the causes associated with the Islamic problems, the Arab Spring, and global terrorism.
Main Features of the Arab World's Ideology and Development
The Arab world comprises 18 countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, and Tunisia. "The Arab world" is united geographically: it stretches from the Arabian (Persian) Gulf through the areas of South-West Asia and North Africa to the Atlantic coast. "There are 18 Arab countries with an ethnically homogeneous population, which numbers 300 million people": 90% of people are Arabs, while 10% are representatives of other national and ethnic groups (Kuhn 652). Arabs, regardless of their country of residence, constitute themselves as belonging to a single nation. The heterogeneity of the Arab world has a significant impact on developing integration and socio-political problems.
Basically, 90% of Arabs are Muslims. Thus, the ideas of congregation were maintained by the political practice during the Arab conquests and the spread of Islam in non-Arab peoples. According to Kuhn, the rulers put in the forefront the principle of people's community based on religion to preserve the unity of ethnically and culturally diverse Caliphate (659). Thus. Muslims comprised a religious community. The Muslim Brotherhood does not recognize the state borders and national identity. This principle underlies the theories of pan-Islamism and neo-pan-Islamism. Now, "the boundaries of the Arab countries, which resulted from the despotic actions of European imperialism, are of lesser importance in the Arab-Muslim world than the unifying factor of Islam" (Saideman 717). Islam continues to be in an integral part of the public consciousness in the modern Muslim society; moreover, it is a core ideology, the state religion, a fundamental source of legislation, and a tool of social and cultural control. In the sphere of ideology, Islam is "a force of opposition to Western influence for the countries of the Arab region" (Saideman 718).
However, the Arab countries are not similar according to the level and nature of the modernization; therefore, they can be divided into three groups. The first group is divisible into the middle-income countries with the highest level of modernization. These include Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria in Maghreb, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. The second one is represented by the rich developing countries with a high level of modern infrastructure. This group includes the countries of the Persian Gulf and Libya. Finally, the third group is represented by the poor developing countries with the lowest level of modernization, i.e. Mauritania, Sudan, and Yemen. In the 1980-1990ss, many developing countries saw a pace of economic growth. According to Saideman, the ruling regimes were forced to reconsider some of the important areas of social and economic policy "in response to changing external and internal conditions" and implement measures to "liberalize economy and foreign economic relations, promotion of market relations, and entrepreneurship" (719). As a result, in the beginning of the 21st century, the Arab world has reached the significant changes in the material and technical base of production and a noticeable improvement in macroeconomic indicators. So, in 1991-1992, "GDP's growth in the countries of the Arab East was just 2.9%, while in 1999 and 2000, it increased up to 4.4% and 5.7% respectively" (Martin 8).
Arab Nationalism and Problems of Terrorism
Basically, Arab nationalism is a modernist movement designed to eliminate backwardness and disunity of the Middle East people. Apart from the achieved parity with the leading countries of the world with the help of ideology, this nationalism also aims to resolve the differences between the various religious groups of Arabs: Sunnis, Shiites, Christians, and Druze and rally them in a common national idea. In general, modern nationalism can be described as an ideology that is both conservative and contemporary, as an attempt to find a delicate balance between globalization and preservation of national culture, traditions, and language.
Undoubtedly, nationalism in modern society is a response to the most severe consequences of globalization, particularly, if a society is integrated into the world market. One of the main reasons for the emergence and growth of terrorism in the Arab world is globalization, which includes the economic integration and political cooperation with Europe and the United States. Terrorist attacks are a response of radical Muslims to interference in the matters of their state and culture. Conservative and radical Arab nationalism can be determined by the religion of Islam, which is hostile against other faiths. Thus, the manifestation of terrorism in the Middle East does not always bring a welcome result for terrorists, so they try to make terrorism international. To date, the level of terrorism is higher than ever before. Even half a century ago, terrorism was not a problem because the level of globalization and international cooperation was low. Since its inception, Arab nationalism united Arab nation, but it also strained relations between Muslims and non-Muslims on a local and international level. According to Martin, the main trends of social and political development are determined by the struggle of the two main trends in socio-political life of the Middle East countries. On the one hand, the Islamic political movement that enjoys great influence in these countries, and on the other, there is a democratic trend that carves a way in the traditionalist ideas about politics and power of Muslim states (15-16). In addition, it is one of the important features of the political life of these countries at the present stage.
Causes and Consequences of the Arab Spring. For a long time, countries of the Middle East are in a difficult social situation, which is manifested in poverty and legal restrictions. Some reliable sources believe that the Arab Spring has only initiated the protests that turned into a civil war (Zakaria 4). They believe that its main reasons are such old problems of Syria as the population's discontent of "the socio-political system and the authoritarian rule of Assad", i.e. Alawite dominance in government and military structures (Zakaria 5). Therefore, corruption of the government representatives, religious conflict, and the Kurdish problem can be considered the main reasons for a start of the Arab Spring. With regard to the moderate and pluralistic Islam in the Middle East, it can be said that extremist ideologies have a strong influence on it, thereby inhibiting its activity and development. About a month before the beginning of disturbance in the social network Facebook, a new group "Syrian Revolution 2011" called for a "Day of Wrath" in the Syrian cities against President Bashar Assad (Saideman 720). The first date for a political flash mob was assigned to 4 February. After a start of the uprising, the Syrian authorities accused the administration of Facebook that it had blocked the page of president's supporters. Thus, it can be assumed that the group created in social networks had a considerable importance for the development and start of the Arab Spring.
The problem of Instability and Security Nowadays. Today, the situation that has emerged in the Arab world can be considered unstable and very dangerous. The fight against the Islamic State continues, and the number of refugees is growing every day. The problem of Arab influence on politics and the economy in Europe and the United States remains unresolved. The civil war in Syria is an internal armed conflict between the multilateral Syrian government troops and allied militias on the one hand, and fighters of the Syrian opposition (the majority of whom are Islamists of various stripes) on the other hand. However, Zakaria states that the third party of the conflict is represented by Kurds, who lead the armed struggle with both the government forces and opposition militants (13). According to Kuhn, fighting mercenaries from several world countries are on the side of the opposition, while members of the Lebanese organization "Hezbollah" and a number of Iraqi volunteers are on the government's side (663). The armed conflict in Syria that began in March 2011 killed about 250,000 people, and "10 thousand of them were children" (Kuhn 665). According to the UNO, today there are "8 million internally displaced persons" and "4 million refugees" who have taken refuge in neighboring countries (Zakaria 11). In view of the situation in the Middle East, the level of terroristic threat has increased as never before. This situation is harmful militarily and politically for the USA and European countries today.
Conclusion
Over the past 50 years, Arab countries have significantly changed their foreign and domestic policies. The level of globalization in the Middle East, as well as the political and economic integration, have caused a backlash among radical Islamists that contributed to the growth of terrorism. The Arab Spring has led to political upheaval and civil war in many countries of the Arab world. Thus, the intervention to resolve these conflicts leads to mixed reactions from Arab countries' residents. The ideology of the Arab World is to ensure that the entire Arab nation should be united and comply with national traditions and religious canons. Over the past half-century, the Middle East countries reached a new level of development and understanding of international politics, but the level of terrorism has grown significantly. Many researchers believe that the cause of this is the local conflicts of two or more of the warring parties. Today, the situation in Syria remains unresolved, which has a negative impact on the economies of the US and some European countries.
Works cited
Kuhn, Randall. "On The Role Of Human Development In The Arab Spring." Population & Development Review 38.4 (2012): 649-683. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.
Martin, David. "Nationalism And Religion; Collective Identity And Choice: The 1989 Revolutions, Evangelical Revolution In The Global South, Revolution In The Arab World." Nations & Nationalism 20.1 (2014): 1-17. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.
Saideman, Stephen M. "When Conflict Spreads: Arab Spring And The Limits Of Diffusion." International Interactions 38.5 (2012): 713-722. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.
Zakaria, Fareed. "Islam, Democracy, And Constitutional Liberalism." Political Science Quarterly (Academy Of Political Science) 119.1 (2004): 1-20. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.
